Successive interruption for letterpress printing machines



June 29, 1965 K. BARTHEL. 3,191,529

SUCGESSIVE INTERRUP'IION FOR LETTERPRESS PRINTING MACHINES Filed April 4, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 3

Inventor Karl Barthel Attorney June 29, 1965 K. BARTHEL 3,191,529

SUCCESSIVE INTERRUPTION FOR LETTERPRESS PRINTING MACHINES Filed April 4, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- Inventor Karl Barthel Attorney United States Patent 3,191,529 SUCCESSIVE INTERRUPTION FOR LETTERPRESS PRINTING MACHINES Karl Barthel, Heidelberg, Germany, assignor to Schnellpressenfabrik Alrtiengesellschaft Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed Apr. 4, 1963, Ser. No. 270,567 Claims priority, application Germany, May 2, 1962,

Sch 31,394 1 Claim. (Cl. 101184) This invention relates generally to printing presses and more particularly to apparatus for series printing presses for operating theprinting elements of the various printing units to an on-impression position and an off-impression position. p

In series printing presses,for example color printing presses, the printing elements of the printing units are operated to an on-impression position and an oii-impression position at different times, i.e., in sequence, in dependence upon the number of sheets that are traveling between the successive printing units. These presses have provision made therein in the apparatus for switching the units to the two positions for rendering the apparatus ineffective with respect to either one of the two units and for switching the, printing elements in the units independently of each to an on-impression position or an off-impression position.

In known apparatus for placing the printing elements ofa press in an on-impression or an off-impression position this is generally accomplished by mechanical means which are rendered effective by electromagnetic devices. However, this type of known apparatus has a limitation in that a power loss or a power fluctuation renders the electromagnetic devices inffective so that the press can be rendered completely inffective, or its operation at least interrupted. Apparatus are known in which the press is placed on-impression or off-impression by completely mechanical means, for example, by ratchet or pawl switching mechanisms on transfer drums interconnecting the two impression cylinders of two successive printing units. Generally, however, since only one sheet at a time is moving between two successive printing units in this type of arrangement the functionofplacing the printing elements of the second unit on-impresssion after the printing elements of the first unit is on-impression .is generally accomplished when only a single sheet is between the two units.

However, in printing presses using a chain delivery with a plurality of grippers thereon for transporting the sheets between successiveprinting units the number of sheets on the chain between a first printing unit after an impression thereon and a second series printing unit is generally four or five sheets. For example, if four sheets are on the chain delivery device the printing elements of the second unit must be placed on o l-impression after the printing elements of the first printing unit and at a time after the first units impression cylinder has made four revolutions so that the sheets with a first impression thereon are in readiness to be delivered to the second printingunit when it is placed on-impression. Moreover, when the press is being switched (iii, the second printing unit is placed off-impression after four sheets on the, chain delivery have left the first printing unit after it is. off-impression so that all of the printed sheets having passed through the first printing unit are printed by the second printing unit before it is placed oif-impression. In an arrangement ofthis type it should be possible for the printing elements of the two printing units to be placed in oil-impression and off-impression positions independently of each other.

3,191,529 Patented June 29, 1965 A principal object of the present invention is to provide apparatus having solely mechanical means for placing two successive printing units on-impression and off-impression of a series press, for example, a series color printing press of the type in which a plurality of sheets is traveling between the series printing units while the printing is taking place and to provide a completely mechanical mechanism that is highly reliable.

A feature of the invention is the provision of means operable to a position for mechanical setting the printing elements in a first one of two series printing units, for example, in an on-impression position and developing a time-delayed command for setting the printing elements in a second series printing unit in an on-irnpression position after a given period of time or a given number of revolutions of the impression cylinder of the first unit corresponding to the delivery of a given number of sheets for printing from the first unit to the second unit. Means are provided to respond to the time-delayed command for placing the printing elments of the second unit in an off-impression position or condition in a time-delayed manner by a time-delayed command after the first printing unit has gone off-impression. According to the invention this is accomplished by a pinion gear connectable to a constant speed shaft through clutch means which after one revolution of a reduction gear driven by the pinion, develops a command signal mechanically for rendering mechanism effective to place one or other of the printing units on-impression or off-impression at the proper time and sequence.

In the example press described using mechanism according to the invention provision is made for the aforementioned reduction gear to rotate once for four revolutions of the impression and form cylinders which are complementary to each other and carry out the printing functions so that in this manner four sheets can be printed by the first unit before the second unit is placed on-impression or off-impression.

Other features and advantages of the apparatus in accordance with the present invention will be better understood as described in the following specification and appended claim, in conjunction with the following drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation view of a printing press embodying apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic side elevation view on an enlarged scale of a portion of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic side elevation view of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 2 with the elements thereof in a different operative position than that illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 4.

The apparatus according to the invention is applicable to series printing presses and is illustrated in the drawing as applied to a series color printing press comprising a first printing unit I anda second printing unit II spaced from one another with an operating station between them. Each of the printing units comprise printing elements comprising, for example, three vertically arranged complementary cylinders illustrated in broken lines, two

of which carry out the impression in the example here tion in FIG. 1 is an impression cylinder and directly below it is a third cylinder or transfer drum which delivers the printed sheets printed by the first, unit I to a chain delivery illustrated diagrammatically by broken lines between the two units and passes underneath a substructure or base of an operating station between the two units illustrated diagrammatically and fragmentarily as a sectional portion of a platform between the two units.

Forwardly, to the right of the intermediate cylinder in unit I is disposed a transfer cylinder that delivers the sheets from a feed table, illustrated fragmentarily, to the intermediate cylinder for carrying out the printing function.

The second unit II is built similarly to printing unit I and in the press illustrated the printing elements are armanged as a mirror image of the printing elements in printing unit I. In the second printing unit 11 the lowermost of the three cylinders vertically arranged functions as a transfer cylinder receiving the sheets from the chain delivery after the first impression from the first unit and transferring them to an intermediate cylinder which cooperates with the uppermost cylinder which is a form or plate cylinder in carrying. out the second printing impression. The sheets are then delivered to another transfer cylinder to the left of the intermediate cylinder and the sheets can then be delivered to a delivery pile by delivery means, not shown, or to another series of print-ing units in the event that the press is a rnulti-color press, for example, a four color printing press. invention is applicable to presses having more than two paired series of printing units. Moreover, it is to be understood that the various cylinders that transfer sheets between each other are provided with grippers in known manner, and are therefore not illustrated.

In FIG. 1 apparatus according to the invention is illust-rated in a condition in which the printing elements, the complementary printing cylinders, of the printing units are in an off-impression position. The apparatus for carrying out the switching function comprises an operation lever pivotally mounted, for example, in an operating position on one of-the side-walls, not shown, of the press and operably connected to a connecting rod 2 which is pivotally connected to arockable lever 3 having one end thereon displaceab'le for actuating or displacing a rod 4 and connected thereto for displacing it upwardly and downwardly to actuate a pivotally mounted two-arm pawl 5-to which the rod 4 is connected. The rd4 has an upper and lower spring each of which is alternatively compressed when the lever 3 is moved between its operative positions as later described.

When the operating lever 1 is moved to an on-impression operating position, to the left in FIG. 1, the pawl lever has a left arm thereof moved downwardly in a positionfor being engaged by a camming surface 6 on a pivotally mounted cam follower 8 rocked into actuated position by a driven earn 7. The cam 7 is configured to actuate the cam follower 8 so that the cam surface 6 strikes the pawl which is mounted on a rock- .able lever or gear sector 9 and the lever 9 is moved toward the right and will actuate a connecting rod 10 connected to a pivoted gear segment 11 for operation with another pivotally mounted gear sector 12 which actuates a connecting rod 13 connected thereto and a pivotally mounted eccentric bushing 14 for placing the plate and impression cylinders or printing elements of printing unit I in an on-impression position.

The linkage between the lever 9 and the gear sector 11 comprises a clutch pin 15 operable selectively for disengaging the linkage rod system 10 to render it ineffective so that the first printing units printing elements can not be placed in an oil-impression position.

The lever 9 hasa lowermost gear sector cooperating with a gear sector 16 to which is connected a lever 17 for operating a pivoted cam 18 having a carnrning surface positionable for actuating a two-arm cam follower 19 having one arm connected to an actuating rod 20 for actuating a clutch lever 21 that controls the engagement It will be understood that the All a and dis-engagement of a single-dog clutch 22 with a pinion 23 for driving a reduction gear 24 to which is fixed a control disc 25 operative as later hereinafter described. This last described mechanism is operated when the first printing unit I is to be placed off-impression and the clutch 22 is in a declutched condition while the printing unit I is in an on-impression condition.

The gear sector 16 is connected to a guide 26 operable longitudinally in a direction toward the right when the impression control lever 1 is operated and on which is secured a spring biased roller 27 illustrated in a position inside the control disc 25 in FIG. 2. The control disc 25 is provided with a peripheral opening or slot through which the roller 27 moves outwardly of the disc 25 into a position on the periphery thereof as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 when the guide 26 is moved to the right. A crank or lever 28 is secured to the guide 26 and a connecting rod 29 is moved to the right by the crank 28, which is biased in a clockwise direction by spring 28 so that the roller 27 bears on the periphery of the disc 25. The rod 29 is connected to another two-arm lever or crank 30 for actuating a rod 31 having a spring 32 mounted thereon placed in compression by movement of the rod 29 toward the right.

The two-arm lever 30 is connected to a connecting rod. 33 for pivotally actuating a pivoted cam 34 on which a two-arm cam follower 35 is guided and actuates an actuating rod 36 connected to a clutch lever 37 having a pin thereon for travelling along a camway on a single dog clutch 38 actuating the clutch into position for engaging a pinion 39 with a constant speed shaft, not shown, connected to the clutch thereby rotatably, driving a reduction gear 4%) as hereinafter described.

The reduction gear 40 is provided with a control disc 41 fixed thereto comparable to the control disc 25 and has a peripheral slot therein such that when the rod 29 and the rod- 31 are actuated to the right a second resilient roller 42, constructed similarly to the spring biased roller 27 and mounted on a guide 43 connected to the rod 31, bears on the periphery of the disc 41 and is moved internally of the disc 41 through the slot only after. the disc 41 makes one revolution.

The guide 43 moves to the right when the roller 42 enters into the disc 41 and actuates a bell-crank lever 44 under control of a pin, FIG. I, mounted on the guide 43. The bell-crank is connected to a connecting rod 45 which actuates a pivotally mounted lever 46 comparable to the lever 3 on the unit I and which is connected to a rod 47 for actuating a two-arm pawl 48. When the rod 47 is actuated as hereinafter described, the right-arm of the pawl 48 is positioned in position for being actuated by a projection 49 of a cam follower 51 constantly biased toward a driven cam 50 by a spring 51' to pivotally actuate a lever 52, on which the pawl 48 is mounted. The lever 52 is connected to an actuating rod or linkage system 53 for operating a pivoted gear sector 54 in engagement with a pivoted gear sector 55 to which is connected a rod 56 for actuating an eccentric bushing 57 for actuating the uppermost or form cylinder of the printing unit II into an on-impression position as hereinafter described.

The reduction gear 40 is rotated one revolution for four revolutions of the impression cylinder of the first series printing unit I. After the control disc 41 has effected a single turn the spring-biased roller or follower 42 enters the disc 41 and the guide 43 transmits the impulse or commandthat places the second printing unit in an on-impression position as described above after this command has been transmitted the drive mechanism for the control disc 41 is disengaged by means of a cam 58 mounted onthe gear 40 and rotatable therewith. The cam is disposed and configured to be engaged by a twoarm follower lever 59 which actuates the cam 34 and cam follower 35 and connecting rod 36 in a direction for h in disengaging or declutching the clutch 38 from the pinion gear 39. In this position the disc 41 is braked by means of a pawl 60 which moves into position for locking or precluding rotation in conjunction with a pawl 61.

The switching members, the reduction gears 24 and 40, which control the positioning of the printing elements of both units to an on-impression position and an offimpression position are displaced only at a quarter of the speed of the printing press. If the form or plate cylinder of the printing unit II is not to be placed in an on-impression condition, the press is provided with a disengageable clutch pin 62 rendering the mechanism ineffective for transmitting the command and carrying out the aforementioned functions.

In order to place the press in an off-impression condition the printing unit I must be placed in an off-impression position first and then the printing unit H must have the printing elements thereof placed in an off-impression in a time-delayed manner so that the sheets already printed by the printing unit I and travelling on the chain delivery between the two units receive a second impression.

During the time that the two printing units are onimpression positions the clutch 22 is in a disengaged or declutched condition. When the lever 1 is thrown to a position for positioning the printing elements in an offimpression position the first printing unit I is immediately thrown off an on-impression condition to an ofifimpression condition by actuation of the linkage 10, gear sectors 11 and 12, and the connecting rod 13. At the same time the lever 17 actuates the cam 18 so that the pivotally mounted cam follower 19 actuates rod 20 in a direction for engaging the clutch 22 with the pinion gear 23, comparable to the pinion gear 39, into engagement with the gear 24 which is comparable to the gear 40. The pinion gear 23 is driven from a constant speed shaft, not shown, connected to the clutch so that the disc fixed to the gear 24 is rotated one turn so that the spring biased roller 27 enters the peripheral slot in the disc 25 and moves radially inwardly into the disc 25 so that the guide 26 and connecting rods 29 and the other rods connected thereto are moved in a leftward direction actuating the various above-described mechanisms of the printing unit II to positions illustrated in FIG. 1 so that the printing elements of the printing unit II are moved to an off-impression position by a timedelayed command developed by the gear 24 and the disc 25. This time-delayed command corresponds to the transfer of four sheets which have been printed on unit I and are moving between the two units when the unit I is placed in an off-impression condition.

The printing unit I has a cam 58 on the gear 24 similar to the cam 58 on the gear 40 for actuating a cam follower 59 to declutch the clutch 22 once the second time-delayed command is transmitted. The unit also comprises releasable lock means 60 and 61 of the type heretofore described.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described it will be understood that many modifications and changes can be made within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a printing press having two printing units in series for printing impressions on sheets of material sequentially, each printing unit having printing elements operable to an on-impression position and an off-impression position, said printing elements of said units being disposed spaced from the printing elements of each other sufliciently to allow a plurality of sheets of stock to travel therebetween between impressions of the successive units, and means to deliver sheet stock from one unit to a next successive printing unit in series therewith, the improvement which comprises means operable to a position for mechanically setting the printing elements in a first one of said units in an on-impression position, means comprising only mechanical means responsive to the operation of the first setting means for developing a time-delayed command for setting the printing elements in said second printing unit in an on-impression position, said means for developing said time-delayed command comprising reduction gear means driven from the press, said gear means having a reduction gear ratio effective for developing said time-delayed command a given period of time after operation of the first mentioned means corresponding to the delivery of a given number of sheets of stock for printing between said units in order to have a sheet in readiness for delivery to said second printing unit when placed in an on-impression position, means coupling said printing elements responsive to said command for placing the printing elements in said second unit in an on-impression position, said reduction gear means comprising a pinion gear driven from the press at a constant speed, a reduction gear driven by said pinion, means cooperative with said reduction gear responsive to the angular position thereof for rendering said command effective upon one rotation of said reduction gear, and said means for developing said time-delayed command comprising clutch means for rendering effective and ineifective the driving of said pinion gear, and said mean-s responsive to the setting on-impression of the printing elements of said first printing unit comprising means for clutching said clutch.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 800,477 9/05 North 101-184 X 1,040,783 10/12 Scott 101-184 1,065,276 6/ 13 Scott 101-184 1,591,127 7/26 Harrold et a1. 101-184 1,626,304 4/27 Sharpless 101-184 1,807,656 6/ 31 Fischer 101-184 1,950,585 3/34 Wilkes 101-184 X 2,366,335 1/45 Huck 101-247 X 2,568,002 9/51 Hart et a1 197-17 2,714,351 8/55 Koch 101-184 ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Examiner. 

